The Town Where Every Roof Was Green – The Shocking Truth About the Locals Made Me Flee
I Ended up in a Town Where Every Roof Was Painted Green – When I Saw Who the Locals Were, I Fled
When Jenna and her infant son find a community where modern technology is prohibited and every roof is painted green, their road trip takes an unsettling turn. Jenna discovers truths that drive her to want to flee as she makes her way through the spooky streets and interacts with the disturbing locals.
I was traveling with my one-year-old son, Noah, and I was a 29-year-old single mother. I should have known better than to rely on the GPS. I made the impulsive decision to go on a road trip with my little kid to decompress and reconnect after my divorce.
The plan was for it to be an adventure: simply the two of us traveling to new locations and taking comfort from the wide road. As we sang nursery rhymes and he babbled contentedly in his car seat, Noah had been a real trooper.
But the GPS told me to drive onto an old, uneven road after three hours of driving on the freeway. I paused, taking a quick look at the map. Though it didn’t appear to be the major road, occasionally taking the scenic path might be more enjoyable, right? How foolish I was, oh.
It was obvious after an hour of driving on this lonely road that I was lost. Noah began to become fussy, his tiny sounds becoming louder by the second. I drove on, desperate to find somewhere to stop and feed him, and eventually I came upon a town.
I had never seen a place quite like this one. Every single roof was painted a bright green, and there was no name or welcome sign. It seemed strange, but not too dangerous. I had no idea that the strangeness was only getting started.
I took my time driving through the peaceful neighborhoods, looking for a petrol station or a recognized fast-food restaurant. Nothing. Just those eerie green roofs on rows of one-story dwellings.
At last, I saw an old, dingy diner. The more desperate Noah’s cries got, so I pulled into the empty lot and parked. I had no choice but to eat in the diner, which appeared to have been empty for a long time.
Upon entering, I held Noah close to my chest and three sets of eyes fixed themselves on me.
An old woman stood behind the bar, while two men sat at a table. They gave me piercing looks as though I had bugged them.
“Well… Are you guys available? I wanted to get my son some lunch. To go,” I murmured, attempting to sound assured.
It didn’t feel right to admit I was lost. The elderly woman gave me a hard time, but one of the men raised his voice.
“Leave your phone in the car, and then your son can eat here.”
A beat skipped in my heart. There was no TV, radio, or even cash register in the strangely calm space. Nothing except a chokehold quiet.
With caution, I said, “Okay,” and made my way back to the car. I put my phone in my pocket and turned off the sound instead of leaving it there. There’s no signal here, anyhow.
The air felt heavier when I walked back into the diner. I tried to ignore the two men who were observing me as I sat down and had a quick look at the menu. At last they came to sit at my table without asking.
They didn’t appear as scary up close. One had a pleasant face but was overweight, and the other looked like a nerdy kid who had probably been harassed in school. They were strangers in this foreign place, nevertheless.
“In exchange for not coming back here, we’ll let the infant eat. You get it?” The plump man spoke in a calm yet forceful tone.
With my heart racing, I nodded. “I got it. All I need to get him is some fruit and porridge.”
The two males lingered at my table while the old woman vanished into the rear. “What’s your name?” inquired the geeky man.
“Jenna,” I answered, calming Noah with a gentle bounce. “And this is Noah.”
“This is Frank; I’m Bill,” the geeky guy remarked, gesturing to the chubby man. “You must be wondering about the town.”
“You could say that,” I forced a smile to reply in response.
Frank leaned closer, his face grave. “This location is unconnected. No phones, no internet. Here, people prefer to maintain things that way.”
Bill gave a nod. “A few years ago, someone similar to you passed through here. She disregarded the guidelines.”
“What happened?” With my voice hardly audible, I inquired.
“She departed and did not return. The same as you like,” Frank remarked, reclining in his seat.
I was frightened. Every nerve in my body begged me to grab Noah, forget about the order, and run as quickly as I could. However, what if my car had been damaged by them? And if there was no way out?
“That funny phone of yours, you know that it listens, right?” Bill, the scrawny guy, asked, drawing my attention away from my escape strategy.
Removing his glasses, he pretended to wipe them with a napkin from the diner. His narrowed eyes gave me the impression that he could see right through my courteous nods.
I feigned a grin while continuing to gently bounce Noah. “Uh, yeah, technology these days, huh?”
Bill lowered his voice and leaned forward. “So does the radio in your car and so does that baby camera you probably have.”
I tried to appear interested by nodding, but inside down I was yelling, “How long does it take to make a bowl of oatmeal?”
“This is the reason our town doesn’t put up with this kind of behavior,” the larger man, Frank, cut in. “We value our personal space. We are doing absolutely fine without a TV or radio in this room.”
“Uh-huh,” I answered, drawing Noah closer. I attempted to maintain my composure as I kissed his tiny hand as it reached up to my face.
Probing further with their conspiracy beliefs, the men enumerated all the things they could not “tolerate” in their town.
My phone vibrated in my pocket out of nowhere. In an attempt to muffle the sound, I blurted out the first thought that came to mind while in a panic. “The rooftops! Why are the rooftops green all over? Was something like a sale going on?”
They looked sidetracked by the issue. Frank looked at me like I was crazy, but then he smiled. “The spacecraft. If the roof is green, the satellite will see grass instead of your house. Although more effective, real grass roofs are prohibitively expensive.
I didn’t care that I had serious doubts about his reasoning. When she did, the elderly woman came out of the kitchen carrying a few to-go boxes packed in a white plastic bag that had no print or diner marking on it.
Her words, “Here you go,” as she gave me the bag. I quickly said “Goodbye” as I placed a $20 dollar on the table, picked up the bag, and dashed out of the café.
Hands shaking, I buckled Noah into his car seat. The elderly woman barged out of the diner and called after me as I went for my car door.
“Wait! Wait!”
I felt panic take hold of me. I hopped inside the vehicle and shut all of the doors. She banged on my driver’s window when she got there. I rolled it down just enough to hear her, and my heart raced.
What was it she desired? Was she going to make a stay-request? Alternatively, tell me something horrifying? Then, what would I say to her? that I find green roofs to be unappealing?
She gave me something that was bundled up in napkins. I took it with trembling fingers. “I forgot to give you the cutlery.”
When I opened the napkins, I discovered a few plastic knives and spoons. I managed to mutter, “Thank you,” before flipping the key and walking out of there.
The town with its green roofs gradually disappeared from my rearview mirror as I drove away. I simply continued going, following the meandering road until it brought me back to a typical highway dotted with convenience stores, fast food restaurants, and other shops.
I finally stopped at a gas station, parked, and exhaled deeply. In his vehicle seat, Noah slept soundly, blissfully oblivious to the insanity from which we had just emerged. I looked at my phone. It was signaling once more. I gave my closest buddy Claire a call right away.
“Jenna! I was so worried! “Where have you been?”
Trying not to lose my composure, I continued, “Claire, you wouldn’t believe it.” “I found myself in this strange village with green paint on every roof. Not only do they lack cash registers but also TVs and radios.”
“What? It sounds like something from a scary film.”
“I understand, correct? They thought my phone was listening to everything, so they made me leave it in the car. I carried it with me but pretended not to. I’m grateful that I can now call you.
“Did they hurt you or Noah?”
“No, but it was really eerie.” They even informed me that after I left, I couldn’t return. Subsequently, an elderly woman hurried to bring me silverware, as though it were the most crucial item.”
With relief, Claire sighed. “I’m quite relieved that you’re alright. Make a vow to me that you won’t take any more odd turns.”
Feeling a little lighter, I said, “Promise.” “I’m sticking to the main roads from now on.”
Before I hung up and took a breather, we spoke for a few more minutes. I glanced at Noah, who was still soundly asleep. I turned to face him and caressed his smooth cheek. I said, “We’re okay, sweetheart.” “We’re okay.”
I mentally went through everything as I got out of the car to extend my legs. It felt like a horrible dream—the town, the green roofs, the creepy calm. However, I realized it had been genuine when I looked at the food bag on the passenger seat.
I tried to get rid of the residual anxiety by getting some gas and getting a coffee. I continued looking in my rearview mirror as I drove away, half expecting to see those green roofs appear once more. But all I could see was the clear path that would return us to safety.
I may never fully understand that village, but one thing is certain: I will never return. Noah awoke as the miles passed and began babbling once more. Grinning, I turned on the radio to block out my memories of that weird environment. It was time to return home after our adventure.
The highway opened up in front of us, and I knew that the memories of that creepy village would follow me wherever we went. But I could handle anything as long as we were together.
The sound of Noah laughing filled the car, and I couldn’t help but chuckle too. All that mattered was that we were safe.
Do you believe I handled matters appropriately?
